More REAL ID Appointments Added For Montgomery County Residents

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Time is ticking, Montgomery County: have you obtained a REAL ID driver's license yet? If not, you have until Oct. 1 to do so.

You'll need a REAL ID to board a domestic commercial flight, assuming you don't have a valid passport of military ID card. Real ID compliant driver's licenses and identification cards from the state of Maryland have a small star in the upper right corner to indicate the credentials are acceptable for these federal purposes.

To reduce wait times for REAL ID, the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT MVA) has added 1,239 additional appointment opportunities each week for Montgomery County residents. Appointments are now available in the Walnut Hill Shopping Center, which is adjacent to the MDOT MVA Walnut Hill branch office in Gaithersburg.

"We are always looking for new and innovative ways to help people conduct their MDOT MVA business as quickly and efficiently as possible," said MDOT MVA Administrator Chrissy Nizer. "I encourage all Marylanders to schedule an appointment for their REAL ID and driver’s licensing needs. Customers are guaranteed to be seen within 15 minutes of their scheduled appointment time."

The 3,011-square-foot Walnut Hill Annex, located at 16516 S. Westland Drive, includes 11 stations for REAL ID and other driver's licensing transactions. According to the MVA, 15 new staff positions were created, and the additional appointments nearly doubled the total number of appointments at the Walnut Hill branch office and annex to 2,341 per week.

Hours for both offices are:

• Monday -Wednesday, Friday; 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Thursday; 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
• Saturday; 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (temporary extended hours)

"We're proud to say 62 percent of Montgomery County residents are REAL ID compliant, which is the second highest jurisdiction in Maryland," said Nizer. "With less than nine months until the federal REAL ID deadline of October 2020, we are excited to open this additional capacity for residents who are not yet compliant to make a REAL ID appointment and receive a premier customer service experience."

Maryland residents are encouraged to make an appointment on the MDOT MVA website before visiting a local branch.

MORE HELP: Visit Maryland's Real ID Lookup Tool to determine your Real ID status.

Obtaining a Real ID requires the following:

• One proof of identity and legal presence
• Two proofs of state residency
• A Social Security card
• Current driver's license, if you are applying to exchange one issued by the District or a state.
• If proof documents contain different names (for example, if the last name on a birth certificate is different than the name on a payroll check stub), it's necessary to supply documents showing proof of the name change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or a court order.